Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What steps his Department is taking to help increase the contribution of the defence industry to societal resilience.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence is committed to safeguarding national resilience across the Defence enterprise, including the Armed Forces and industry. The past few years have seen Defence play a key role in supporting and enhancing societal resilience through the Military Aid to Civilian Authorities process. This activity expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic and was recently engaged in response to widespread industrial action.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to prevent incidents of military sexual trauma within the armed forces.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not recognise the term 'military sexual trauma', nor the associated term 'military sexual assault'. I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 15331 on 17 June 2022 to the Hon. Member for Barnsley East (Ms Peacock): https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-06-09/15331
For Serving Personnel, the MOD has made it absolutely clear there is no place for unacceptable behaviour in the Armed Forces. On 30 March 2022 the MOD published a Zero-Tolerance to Sexual Offending policy, which is one of a range of measures intended to tackle unacceptable sexual behaviour in the Armed Forces. It is intended to improve the career experiences of serving personnel, providing clearer, tri-Service, direction to those in a position to prevent and address instances of sexual offending. It also introduced mandatory discharge from the Armed Forces for anyone convicted of a sexual offence, this includes anyone subject to notification requirements as set out in Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2003 (more widely recognised as the Sex Offenders Register): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-publishes-its-zero-tolerance-approach-to-sexual-offences
For veterans, their healthcare, including mental healthcare, is the responsibility of the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of his Department's capacity to support veteran survivors of military sexual trauma.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not recognise the term 'military sexual trauma', nor the associated term 'military sexual assault'. I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 15331 on 17 June 2022 to the Hon. Member for Barnsley East (Ms Peacock): https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-06-09/15331
For Serving Personnel, the MOD has made it absolutely clear there is no place for unacceptable behaviour in the Armed Forces. On 30 March 2022 the MOD published a Zero-Tolerance to Sexual Offending policy, which is one of a range of measures intended to tackle unacceptable sexual behaviour in the Armed Forces. It is intended to improve the career experiences of serving personnel, providing clearer, tri-Service, direction to those in a position to prevent and address instances of sexual offending. It also introduced mandatory discharge from the Armed Forces for anyone convicted of a sexual offence, this includes anyone subject to notification requirements as set out in Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2003 (more widely recognised as the Sex Offenders Register): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-publishes-its-zero-tolerance-approach-to-sexual-offences
For veterans, their healthcare, including mental healthcare, is the responsibility of the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 will effect the publication timeline for the National Shipbuilding Strategy refresh.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November to Question 68408 to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy).
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel hold a Large Goods Vehicle licence permitting the transport of hazardous materials on public roads and highways.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Department maintians sufficient trained drivers to meet its routine operational outputs.
The precise information sought goes beyond current operational requirements and will require further time to respond. I will write to him shortly.